Electric gas lamp



July 17, 1923. 1,461,921

A. LEDERER ELECTRIC GAS LAMP Original Filed May 16, 1914 WITNESSES: INUENTOR 1 WM w Patented July 17, 1923.

UNITED STATES men LEDEBER, or VIENNA, aus'rnra,

ASSIGNOB '10 WESTINGHOUSE LAMP 00K.-

PANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC GAS LAMP.

Application filed May 16, 1914, Serial No. 839,089. Renewed May 8, 1921. Serial No. 466,400}.

To all whom it may cmwem:

Be it known that I, ANTON Lnnnnnn, a subject'of the Emperor of Austria, and a resident of Vienna, Austria, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Gas Lamps, and upon which atents have been granted in Austria, 0. 72,641, March 15, 1916, and in Germany, No. 291,621, April 25, 1916, of which the followin is a specification.

This invention relates to electric gas lamps, that is to say electric lamps in which a gas or mixture of gases, particularly the.

so called rare gases such as neon, helium, argon, krypton, etc., forms the light giving medium. One lamp of this character has electrodes of an alkali metal potassium for example.

The operation of lam s of this nature with alternating current as proved disadvantageous as compared with direct current for the reason that with direct current a much lower volta e is sufiicientr-that is to say, in gas lamps 0% the prior art, the starting voltage is higher than the running voltage whether the be 0 erated' on A. or D. C. It is so we known that 1n 9. given lamp of symmetrical construction the running voltage on an A. C. circuit is higher than the running voltage on a D. circuit. The reason for this is that the discharge is extinguished and must be re-established each half cycle and, consequently, required for the lamp when operated on .D..C. r

According to the present invention, in order to enable electric gas lamps to be economically used with alternating current, a suitable rectifier is embodied in the lamp so that the latter may be directly connected to an alternatin current supply. To this end, the so-called ehnelt electrode (see for instance German Patent #157,845.) has proved particularly suitable in this connection and ma conveniently be used as one of the lamp e ectrodes. The same effect may also be obtained by making the electrodes of the lamp itself of difi'erent sizes. When connected to an A. C. circuit it will'be found that the electrode of let 1' size willbe the positive terminal or ano e.

The invention is not restricted to lamps having electrodes of anmarticulacmaterial nor a light giving y consisting of any particular gas, but is applicable to a variety of types of electric gas lamps.

The invention is represented diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings.

In Figure 1 the gas filled envelope or container is indicated at a in an upper enlargement of which is located a latlnum wire 6 covered with a suitable oxide such as calcium oxide constituting the rectifier element which acts as one of the electrodes of the lamp. In a lower-enlargement of themvelope is located the other electrode 0 which may be made of one of the alkali metals such as potassium, sodium or lithium. A source of alternating current is represented at d and is connected to the ends of the platinum wire 6 and to the electrode a as shown. A switch 6 is provided in one of the leads between the source d and the terminals of the wire b.

To start the lamp the switch e is closed whereupon current flowing through the oxide covered platinum wire will heat it and upon reaching the necessary temperature current will flow through the gas path and electrode 0 to the source (1 after which the switch e may be opened and the lamp will continue to operate.

' Figure 2 shows a gas lamp-having one of its terminals f larger than the other g. In operation the larger terminal f will prove to be the positive terminal or anode.

The lamps described hereinmay, if necessar be started b applying a somewhat big or voltage to eir terminals than that on which they normally operate.

I claim as my invention:

1. An electric gas lamp, comprising a gas-filled envelope or container, in combination with conducting electrodes, one oi which is covered with an oxide and constitutes a negative electron emitter which forms one electrode of a rectifier and the other of which is made of one of the alkali 4. An electric gas lamp comprising an envelope, an anode of metallic sodium, :1. metallic oxide cathode, and a. filling of a. rare gas in said envelope.

5. An electric gas lamp comprising anenvelope, a plum ity of electrodes, one of which is an electron-emitting element, and a. filling of a neon in said envelope.

6. An electric gas lamp comprising an envelope, an anode of metallic sodium, a, metallic oxide cathode, and a. filling of neon in said envelope.

7. An electric gas lamp, comprising a gas-filled envelope or container, in combination with conducting electrodes, one of which is covered with an oxide and constitutes a negative electron emitteri which forms one electrode of a. rectifier and the other of which is made of one of the alkali metals, and means for heating the negative electron emitting electrode.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this fifth day of May,

ANTON LEDERER. Witnesses A. H. Horrnn, H. B. Gum.

Certificate of Correction.

It is hereby certified that in Ietters Pabent "No. 1,461,921, granted July 17, 1923, upon'the application of. Anton Lederer, of Vienna, Austria, for an improvement in Electric Gas'Lamps, an error appears in the printed epeeification requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 33, after the word consequently insert the words reguz'a ea a higher running voltage than is; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record-of the ease in the Patent. Ofiiee.

Signed'and sealed this 30th day of October, A. 1)., [sun] KARL FENNING,

Acting Oomu'uiona: of Patents. 

